This is a really great piece of antique Russian made silver with shaded enamel decoration in the form of a little salt cellar sitting on three ball feet. So tiny and yet such a beautiful work of art. It was made by the Moscow 6. Artel, which made some of the highest quality Russian enamel pieces and of which the silvercollection website writes of this Artel: One of the most famous in Russia, court supplier of high quality (enameled) silver. Moscow Artels of this period were artisan co-ops that were owned by groups of artists and craftspeople. This particular piece has been in my personal collection since the year 1993. Please be sure to read the Age and Condition paragraphs below. This piece is made in the hand enameled cloisonné technique for which the Russian craftsmen & craftswomen are so famous for. The enamel decoration is incredibly intricate and detailed with the majority of the sides being covered in the lovely shaded enamel work. This piece has particularly beautiful shaded enamel work and is extremely colorful, displaying at least seven (7) different colors of enamel by my count. The shading work on the enamel and the associated decorative silver work is top quality. It is a very skillfully made, very unusual and a very high-quality little piece. Originally the exposed silver areas may have been covered with a gold gilding or wash, commonly referred to as vermeil, which, if so, has tarnished or worn over time, only a very small amount of this is still visible in the inside. The underside of the piece is clearly hallmarked with two authentic period marks. First it is h. Allmarked with the makers mark 6MA for the 6th Moscow Artel. Then, there is a 2. 916 (slightly below sterling). A similarly shaped and decorated piece, but by a different maker, is pictured in. The book The Open Salt Compendium by Sandra Jzyk & Nina Robertson at the bottom left of Plate 394 on page 141. John Atzbach, a very reputable and respected Russian antiques dealer, also wrote an extremely informative article on Russian enamels and makers for the book The Open Salt Compendium by Sandra Jzyk & Nina Robertson and he writes about these Artels on page 136, calling particular attention to the 6. A fine quality, beautiful and desirable little piece. I do my best to describe all items as accurately as possible and to the best of my ability. Some of my photos may be somewhat lighter or darker than actual to better show detail or color. However, do not hesitate to contact me with any questions, comments, or with requests for additional pictures. Our store has many unique and interesting items in several different categories from 35 years of our dealing and collecting antiques and collectables. Circa 1908 – 1917. It is in very good to excellent condition. Please look closely at the photos as they are an important part of my description of this item. There is one tiny ding to the silver on the top rim and just below that point there is some minor loss to the enamel decoration; you can see this in the last photo as a small light blue area just to the left of center and just below the top rim; there is also some enamel loss to the triangular area just to the right of this. Otherwise, I see no dents, dings or breaks to the silver and no other loss or damage to the enamel decoration. I will also mention some very light age-related wear consistent with the age of the piece, some tarnish to the silver and the loss of most of the vermeil gilding as mentioned above. Please keep in mind these photos may be blown up at least 8-10 times normal, so anything you see will look 8-10 times larger in the photos than it really is. Please note: if you see a dark spot in the photos it is from my camera and is not a mark on the piece. It will be either just to the right of center towards the bottom or slightly above center on the right side of the photo. About 2.0625 (5.2 cm) in diameter at the widest point and sits about 1.25 (3.2 cm) off the table. About 1.375 ounces (40 grams). On heavier items I will also offer a less expensive option, if available. The item “SUPER 1908-1917 ANTIQUE 88 SILVER RUSSIAN SHADED ENAMEL 6th ARTEL SALT CELLAR” is in sale since Saturday, March 28, 2020. This item is in the category “Antiques\Silver\Non-U.S. Silver\Russia”. The seller is “rvhound” and is located in Middletown, Ohio. This item can be shipped worldwide.
- Type: Salt Cellar
- Featured Refinements: Antique Russian Silver Enamel
